The reality behind fictional spaces
On my favorite novel and an accidental trip to its setting
Fingerbone, Idaho does not exist, but it is real to me.
The town has lore. The town has the favor of the Lord and his wrath. The town is a terrible, brutal place to live. The lake freezes over at its banks and children light fires in trashcans on it to keep themselves warm while they skate. In the summer, when the lake thaws, it floods. A train once sli…